Insulating-joint



(No Model.) v

F. H. SODEN& H. G'OBHST.

INSULATING JOINT.

M, 1 I a M M M Patents N0. 8, 1887. 4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS H. SODEN AND HENRY GOEHST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INSULATING-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,940, dated November 8, 1887.

Application filed January 13, 1887. Serial No. 224,216.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that we, FRANCIS H. SODEN and HENRY GOEHsT, both citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Insulating-Joints for Electric Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

The principal objects of our improvement are simplicity, strength, and durability, and the provision in a suspended electric-lamp fixture of a desirable and efficient joint which shall not be liable to break in case the lamp is suddenly struck or pushed, and which in the event of breakage shall still hold the lamp in a suspended condition.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other useful ends our invention consists in matters hereinafter described,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out our invention we employ an insulator consisting of a block or ball composed of any suitable insulating material. This insulator is adapted for engagement with and is engaged by both of a pair of interlocking loops. The insulator is partially embraced at opposite sides by the two loops, and is held between the points where the two loopsintersect one another.

The loops are kept by the insulator with their respective planes at right angles, or substantially at right angles, to one another, whereby the possibility of one loop coming into electrical connection with the other is avoided. The upper one of the two loops is adapted to couple with a fixture such as a short neck permanently secured in the wall overhead, or a stem depending from some fixed pointwhile the lower loop is adapted, as hereinafter set forth, to couple with a lower portion or section of the suspended lamp-fixture. The joint thus formed may be made more or less yielding, according to the extent to which the loops are made to clasp or embrace the insulator, it being observed, however, that in all cases the joint will be made sufficiently flexible or yielding to allow the lamp proper to swing to an extent to avoid breakage of or injury to the joint in the event of the lamp being suddenly struck or pushed. Should the insulator become broken by any unforeseen accident, the loops (No model.)

will be left interlocking with one another, and the lamp will thereby be prevented from dropping and breaking.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents in elevation an insulating joint in a suspended electric-lamp fixture embodying the principlcs of our invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken through the device of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents our insulating-joint with means for varying the grasp or clamping force of one of the loops upon the insulator. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section through the device of Fig. 8. Fig. 5 represents one of the loops preparatory to its application to the insulator. Fig. 6 represents the insulator detached from the joint.

The preferred form of the insulator A is spherical, although for some purposesitcould be somewhat differently shaped. Thus it might be made either in the form of an oblate or a prolate spheroid, or it could be made of a polygonal shape. The spherical form herein shown is, however, particularly applicable to. its service in a joint for the fixture of an electric lamp,in order that the joint may the more readily be made ,yielding, so that in the case of a suspended lamp, should the lam I be struck or pushed, it will yield to the low without causing either thejointor the fixture to break, and in the ease of aside bracket the fixture will not only yield to a blow, but also permit the position of the lamp to be shifted.

In the several figures of the drawings, 13 denotes one, and G the other, of the two links.

or loops by and between which the insulator is held.

In order to permit the loops to effectively engage the insulator, and to prevent the loops from slipping off the insulator when the latter is spherical, as well as to keep the loops,when employed in a suspended lamp-fixture, from turning in a manner to come in contact with one another, the insulator is provided with eircumferentially-arranged grooves a, one for each loop. These grooves may extend either partially or entirely around the insulator, it being preferable to provide the spherical form of insulator that is desirably employed in a joint for an electric lamp with two circumferentially-arranged grooves which extend entirely around the spherical insulator and respectively lie in planes at right angles to one another. Portions of the loops are received in the aforesaid grooves of the insulator,which said grooves while herein formed by channels in the insulator are obviously the same in effect as though they were formed by parallel ribs or projections.

The loops or links may be formed and arranged to interlock and applied to the insulator in various ways. Thus, for example, the loops can be arranged to pass through or interlock with one another by previously dividing one loop and subsequently welding or otherwise mechanically fastenii'ig it together at such point, which mode is to be adopted in case the shank portions of the loops are not split or divided longitudinally; but either or both loops can be formed of a piece of wire or other metal strip or piece bent into loop shape, so as to provide it with a divided shank, in which case the loops can be interlocked by opening the shank of one loop, so as to permit the eye portion of the other loop to pass into the loop that is thus opened.

The loops I; are herein represented being in one piece, and in Figs. 1 and 2 the loops (l have a like construction. In Figs. 3 and 4, however, the loops G are each formed by a piece bent to provide the loop with a divided shank portion.

In order to apply a link or loop, IE, to the insulator, such loop may be first made substantially as in Fig. 5, wherein the eye or circular opening of the loop is adapted to receive the spherical insulator, and also desirably made somewhat oblong or egg-shaped. Such loop can be first passed upon the insulator,and the loop then pinched so as to contracta portion of the loop in one of the circumferential grooves of the insulator, as best illustrated in the sectional view, Fig. \Vhere a loop, 0, made in one piece, has been previously made to pass through such loop 13, the said loop I) may likewise have been shaped similarly to the loop in Fig. 2 and applied to the insulator in the same way. lVhen the loops are applied as in 1 and 2, each loop embraces about one-half the circumference of the spherical in sulator, with the sides of the loop beyond their poi nls of contact with the insulator somewhat contracted, thereby holding theinsulator, but providing a. yieldingjoiut in case the loops are not compressed too tightly upon the insulator, it being obvious that the joint thus formed is susceptible of action similar to an ordinary universal or balland-socketjoint.

In Figs. 3 and t the shanks or stem portions of the links or loops C are shown divided, with the two-partstem ol'each ofsaid loops threaded so as to permit a nut, 13-, to be screwed thereon for the purpose of tightening the loop upon the insulator. This arrangement will be found desirable in several instances-for example,

where the joint is to be used in the side bracket for an electric lamp.

The loops 1 are herein shown provided with threaded sockets 6, whereby they can be readily attached to a permanent IiXture--as,f0r example, to the threaded nipple usually arranged at the center of the ceiling of a room and com monly known as an outlet, but of course any other-suitable mechanical fastening device could be substituted :for the threaded socket, or the socket,if used, could be connected with any desirable fixture.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the loops 0 are provided with threaded sockets 0, similar to the sockets of the loops 1. These threaded sockets are shown connected with tubes or tubular rods E, which form the lower or outer section of a suspended lampthat is to say, the outer section, in case the lamp is suspended as a side fixture, or, what is substantially the same thing, the lower section on a hanging, it being understood that the tubular rod E in said figures is to represent a portion of the stemof the lamp. In such case the conductors G and G can be carried up through the tube E and past the joint, the stem or shank of the loop 0 being provided with a central passage, 0, for theconductors. Should the insulator-Aron] any unforeseen causc,become broken so as to crumble or drop out of the joint, the lowcrloop, C, will still be left interlocking with the upper loop, B, and hence the lamp will be kept from falling to the floor.

In Fig. i: the tube F is provided with a lateral opening, 0, for the passage of the conductors t l, which said lateral opening can, if desired, take the place of the passage 0 through the loopstem in Fig. 2.

By means of the foregoing construction we provide an insulating-joi nt which may be made more or less yielding or flexible, as desired, and effectively insulate the loop or member B of the joint from the opposite loop or member, Should either or both of the wires become electrically connected with the loop (3, theintegrity ofthejoint asan insulatorbetweensuch loop and the ground will still be preserved.

What we claim as our invention is In ajoint fora suspended electric lamp, the combination,with an insulating-body,substantially asdescribed, ofthe loop 1:3, having a stem provided with a socket fol-coupling it to a iixturc, and the loo C, having a stem adapt-ed, substantially as described for coupling it with the lower section ofthesuspendcd lamp-stem, said i nsulating-body beingheld by and between the loops in an electric-lamp fixture, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' FHANCIS ll. SODEBT.

HENRY GU EIIST. "Vi" losses:

Cnus. G. PAGE, 'L. S. Looks.

IOC 

